Bulls GM John Paxson emerged from his coma Wednesday and declared what the rest of us already know: His team stinks.
Admitting the problem is the first step toward the cure. A quick check of the standings tells me the Bulls are 18-25. It's a miracle they've won 18.
Incredibly, they were only two games out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot at the start of play Wednesday night.
But forget about that. A playoff berth this season would be a complete waste of time. This team would be pounded four straight by either Cleveland or Boston. Come to think of it, the rest of the regular season is a complete waste of time. I tried to watch Monday's game against the Knicks. I really tried. I got bored by the middle of the second quarter.
Who is still going to Bulls games? Attendance at the United Center is inexplicably pretty decent for this unwatchable product.
As for Paxson, at least he stopped using "youth" as an excuse for the Bulls. Kirk Hinrich is in his sixth year. Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni are all in their fifth years. Drew Gooden is in his seventh year. Hell, this is the third year in the league for Tyrus Thomas. This team isn't young.
The only player on this team who is "young" is Derrick Rose, and he's the only man on the roster worth a damn.
So, what is the problem, Pax?
"It's a lot of little things," the GM said. "Turnovers we had throwing the ball away in the backcourt. It's just concentration and focus. I'm not going to say I'm pleased we've been competing better because we want to win. I don't like where we're at. I don't think anybody does."
Give Paxson some credit. In Wednesday's press conference, he put the blame right where it belongs: He blamed himself.
The Bulls can't scapegoat the coach anymore. Paxson has already hired and fired two coaches. He canned Scott Skiles last year. He hired the inexperienced Vinny Del Negro this year, and there have been growing pains from that. The Bulls look disorganized on offense at times and lackluster on defense. During critical moments in games, they make key mistakes.
But this group of players has had three different coaches now (Skiles, former interim coach Jim Boylan, Del Negro). They have failed under each. There's not much point in firing yet another head coach. How about firing these players? They are the ones who keep on losing.
Put everybody on the trading block except for Rose. Gut this team. It's time to rebuild. Again.
So much for Da Terri-Bulls gaining prominence back after bowing out to the Pistons in the second round of the 2006 playoffs. The folks at WSI talked about how Da Bulls were going to be back as being the top dog in the NBA after that epic playoff series against Detroit and a sweep in Miami. Chicago sports fans were starting to think Da Bulls were ready to be in the class of the Spurs, Lakers, Pistons, Cavs, and whatever (HA! HA! HA! HA!). So much for that. Da Bulls are no better than the team was during the Tim Floyd/Bill Cartwright era. They still stink, and their future does not indicate that things are going to get better.
A team has to be really bad to go get swept by an awful team in the Timberwolves, who have nothing to play for. It's an indictment on the players, the coaches, and the front office.
You mentioned the Bulls sucked under Skiles? What are you talking about? Skiles got the Bulls in the playoffs in his two years, and from what I see with this team, he got the most out of his roster as he did a good job of making chicken salad out of chicken dump.
I love how Jerry Reinsdorf talked about how organizations wins championships. He may be right, but his organization simply does not. Without Jordan and Phil Jackson, this organization has become a loser. This is an organization that decided that Mike D'Antoni was not good enough to be their coach since he does not preach defense yet Vinny Del Negro, who never coached a day in his life, was hired as a coach. What logic is that? I also liked how everything was Skiles' fault yet Vinny never gets a free pass. Are you kidding me? Has Vinny done any coaching this year? He looks like a zombie out there, and he did it again in the game last night. Vinny Del Negro is over his head, and he has that deer in the headlight look almost every game.
I am sorry, but Vinny and Paxson have to go (as a Bulls hater, I would love to see both of them stay for a very long time). Vinny needs to coach a CYO team and then move himself up as an assistant coach. Paxson has showed that he is just clueless. He makes Jerry "Fatso" Krause look like Jerry West.
Last night's win was rewarding especially after what Andres Nocioni did in throwing Mike Miller down and then stepping on Miller's private part in overtime, which is something that should not be tolerated in the NBA, college, or high school hoops. You don't do that. It's amazing how Nocioni does this and then gets away with it.
Maybe Da Terri-Bulls need to focus on getting players who can play the game instead of getting goons such as Noah, Gray, and Nocioni, who have no business playing in the NBA. It's no wonder why Da Bulls are losers. Also, you don't win games in the NBA with role players. Nocioni, Noah, Gray, and other stiffs are not putting the Bulls to the NBA Finals anytime soon, and they are certainly not going to be a playoff team.
I also had a great satisfaction of the Timberwolves rookie outplaying the Bulls rookie. I don't think Kevin Love is not going to be a star in this league, and odds he will be out of the league in six years (I wanted O.J. Mayo, who I think should be the Rookie of the Year), but it was great to see Love outplay the Great Chicago Hope (Rose). Rose showed that he has long ways to go until he becomes in the level of MJ.
It was really nice to see Da Bulls choke. I think they are all but done for the year after this loss. The choking, the Wolves rookie outplaying the Bulls rookie, and just winning the game made this so special.
I liked how Thomas talked about how Da Bulls should be beating good teams consistently. Memo to Thomas: Da Bulls should start beating teams like the Knicks, Thunder, Raptors, and the Timberwolves before they can beat the good teams.
I sure did my dance right after the victory, and I take great satisfaction.
Don't expect me to shed tears on the Bulls anytime soon either. They can't stop losing to make me satisfied. Bulls fans got their day in the sun during the Jordan years, which is something that Phoenix Suns fans, Utah Jazz fans, Sonics fans, Knicks fans, or any other fanbase who had to deal with the Bulls winning at their team's expense.
I hope they don't become very good as long as I am breathing.
So our guy Jerry Reinsdorf called the Bulls season a "disaster" and he basically called out Del Negro. Good stuff, but again who is the guy that hired a neophyte over a proven coach that at least knew how to win? Mike D'Antoni should be the coach of the year because he has done more with less as the Knicks coach. Too bad that he should be coaching the Bulls. D'Antoni would have found a way to make this work. Rose would have even a better year, and Ben Gordon and Joakim Noah would have better numbers. But no, D'Antoni was not hired because he does not coach defense. Fair enough as stupid as it sounds. You just don't hire a neophyte, who never coached a day in his life. Vinny is over his head, and I don't see how he survives, but I hope he does for craps and giggles.
You know what's even funny? I read the transcript of the conversation that he had with Mike North today on Comcast SportsNet. I thought this was too funny.
Mike North: You have a coach that has a two-year deal. … Going into next year, if you do keep Vinny Del Negro, would he considered a lame duck coach?
Jerry Reinsdorf: I think he's signed for three years.
Mike North: Is one an option year?
Jerry Reinsdorf: I don't think so. I don't remember. I don't think so.
Those two answers sound funny in both hilarious and peculiar way. The owner does not know that how long Vinny is signed for. That to me raises a bad flag. An owner is supposed to be on top of things when it comes to that.
I guess Jerry did D'Antoni a big favor, didn't he?
Here's the latest Sun-Times reporting, to help bring the anonymous commenter's remarks into context.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/1406128,delnegro-responds-reinsdorf-013009.article
It's interesting that Reinsdorf is giving Paxson a vote of confidence. I understand the frustration with Del Negro, but I have a hard time getting my mind around how Paxson isn't accountable for this mess.
There's nothing Del Negro can do about being handed a roster with absolutely no post presence whatsoever.